At Long Last
by KnockedCoffee
Summary: Emily is on the throne, she has become an honorable girl and is turning into a fine ruler, however there will always be those attempting to steal her inherited throne, will Corvo's luck ever run out?
1. Memories

*Notes*

This first chapter is mostly and explanation of the events from the game Dishonored, so if you are familar with the honorable ending to the game feel free to skip this chapter, the only other area of note is Corvo's new weapon.

*Thank You*

At long last, the city was approaching something that could be considered close to peace. My job however was not over, my duty would not be complete until my hair turns to grey and I pass from this world. However my duty brings me great joy! Every day I awoke to young Emily, her enthusiasm never ceased to amaze me. She was going to make a fine empress, like her mother, whom I missed every day.

As the wind howled, and the towers creaked, I began my journey back to Dunwall Tower, every citizen, in all the streets noticed me, how could they not, for a time I was the Lord Protector. They had all thought of me as a valiant hero, the one whom would do anything for his empress. Then I was known as the man responsible for her murder. That was a day that was never going to fade from my mind, to me Emily's mother was more than an empress, she meant everything to me. I watched helplessly as she was murdered and tossed aside as if she were a petty criminal. In the same moment Emily was taken captive by the group of assassins. I was found kneeling next to my fallen love and I was assumed her murderer.

After six months of rotting in a cell I was given a chance of escape, so I took it. I moved through Cold Ridge Prison pacifying any city watch guard that stood in my way. Of course my rescuers, led by three men name, Captain Havelock, Mr Pendleton, and Martin, wanted something from me, they wanted me to find Emily. Emily and her mother meant the world to me, I wasn't about to lose them both! Given my tools by a man with an incredibly industrial mind named Piero I began to remove all the people responsible for the treason to the Emily and her late mother. I was ferried from our secluded base of operations The Hound Pits Pub to each of my locations by a man named Samual. On every mission I wore a mask crafted by Piero, not only to protect my face, but my identity. On these missions I tried to keep the body count as low as possible, but I was also not one to run from a fight. I eventually found Emily, she would wait at The Hound Pits Pub whilst I dealt with the few remaining conspirators. I believe my example has helped shape her character to this day. She saw how I held back, and tried to spare as many people as I could, perhaps if my body count had of been higher, she would be a different and more precise ruler today.

However after I had dealt with the conspirators Havelock, Pendleton, and Martin turned on me like starving dogs. Samual was instructed to poison me, however he was no starving dog, but with the others watching the only thing he could do was lessen the dose, that night after everyone had retired to their quarters Samual placed me on a raft and sent me away from The Hound Pits, the name couldn't of been more fitting at the time. My raft arrived in what at the time was called The Flooded District, there I was apprehended by a group of assassins, led by a man by the name of Daud, the same man whom had killed my love. When I came to I escaped my holdings and confronted Daud in a battle of magic, guns, and blades. Daud and I had a mutual friend, The Outsider, he is considered neither good or evil, The Outsider granted us both abilities that would be considered magic, Dauds assassins had an understanding of magic, however none of them have ever seen The Outsider, Daud and I were far more powerful than them. Our duel existed outside of time, as we both had the ability to bend it to our will, however I triumphed over Daud, and yet, he asked for his life. I granted it to him, it was either the most unwise or wisest thing I have ever done.

I soon found my way back to the Hound Pits. Tragedy had struck, in their fear for their own lives Havelock, Pendleton, and Martin had killed everyone they could find in the area. However Emily's carer Calista survived, along with Piero, and Sokolov, whom was developing a cure for the plague that reaped out city. Piero and Sokolov had got along quiet well, that is once Sokolov was over the fact that I had kidnapped him. After removing all of the city watch guards Havelock had left behind I found Samual, who was more than happy to take me to the location of the murderers. When I finally reached them I had only one target, Havelock had poisoned Pendleton, and Martin, and in the end I spared him, not because I believed he deserved mercy, but because I owed it to him, he had taken stock in me when I was rotting in a cell, for that I owed him. However that was all in the past, and I had dedicated myself to Emily's protection, with my magic, and blade. My original blade in fact was lost in The Flooded district. However Piero built me a new one, it was identical to the one I lost however it had a small blade on the end of the hilt, which was always infused with poison.

Emily greeted me when I arrived in the throne room as she always did. She ran from the throne, flung her arms around my neck and laughed as I picked her up and spun her in circles in my embrace, and as always she would kiss me on the cheek and say

"Corvo you're back! How was your walk?"


	2. Mutual Enemies

The years passed quickly. Life was beginning to twist a new reality. Piero and Sokolov had completely cured the plague! Samual had found himself quite happy working as a barman in Dunwall Tower. Both Calista and I watched over Emily, the three of us eat our meals together, and discussed matters of relevant interest. Perhaps it was the time I spent with her, or the topics we discussed, but I was beginning to take a strong liking to Calista.

One quiet evening I found myself wandering out to one of the balconies behind Emily's throne. Calista had gone to prepare for Emily's birthday feast tomorrow. Emily was ecstatic at the thought of turning fifteen in only a few short hours. Her days of drawing pretty pictures was coming to a close, soon she would be a woman.

My thoughts kept me distracted. Too distracted, for it was only the last moment I realised something was amiss. On instinct I looked up and drew my blade, the hilt made a hiss as the iron slid from it turning it into a deadly weapon. I was planted to the ground by a man in a face mask as white as the ever glorious moon. My blade was facing away from me, my attacker was bringing his blade to my throat. However he had not counted on my bladed hilt. In the last seconds of his life, the eyes behind the mask grew wide as they realised their fatal mistake. No sound emitted from the mask as the small poisoned blade buried itself in the exposed temple of its victim.

I pushed my attacker's corpse off of myself and over the balcony, I then stealthily moved into cover next to the doorframe leading back to the throne room. It was only then I head a high pitched scream that could only belong to Emily. I raced into the throne room with all the speed I could muster. These men were professionals, I had little doubt they'd already dealt with the city watch guards. I moved myself in front of Emily positioning myself between her, and the attackers. Two were positioned roughly ten meters from me on each side of the royally decorated room, the rest had positioned themselves two on each of the three chandeliers in the spacious room.

I had made my decision I was going to grab Emily, and then run for the balcony. There was a chance, if slim that I could defeat them all. However nothing on this earth could convince me to put Emily in danger of any sort.

I was counting down in my head to the moment when I would make my move. However before I could act one of the chandeliers holding two of my enemies came crashing to the ground, killing them both. In what seemed like a split second three figures had appeared in the room. In an incredibly shocking instant I realised I was looking at Daud and two of his assassins! Before I had time to decipher his intentions the enemy on my left was lunging at me, I pushed Emily back prepared to face an attack from both sides. However to my astonishment I parried an attack from the enemy on my left and turned to my right to see Daud defending me from my other attacker.

Daud's assassins made quick work of our enemies on the chandeliers. Daud and I defeated our foes at more or less the same moment. Daud used his powers from The Outsider to reappear behind his enemy, he then ran his blade through his back, and out his chest. Blood oozed from the mortal wound, dropping to the floor and turning cold, like the body they had come from. I shot my enemy in the chest, and watched as his feet came out drom under him and he fell to the floor. I turned to face Daud, and ask for an explanation. I turned to see him aiming a one-handed crossbow in my direction. In a split second I used the magic he had used to kill his foe to appear right in front of him. I was standing holding him with my blade at his throat, and my hand holding him close in a deadly embrace. His crossbow was over my shoulder, and there was no way he could bring it down to fire upon my head, and yet, he fired anyway. Still holding my blade to Daud I turned my head around in confusion. I saw the man I had shot, fall to his knees, not making a sound, drop his firearm and bring his hands up to where the bolt had pierced the hole where his eye used to be in his mask. After a few moments of suffering he fell to the floor, and was no more. I turned back to look at Daud, he breathed

"Now we're even" in my ear, his breath coming in slow exhausted gasps, with that I released him from my grasp, and sheathed my weapon.


	3. Close Shaves

With my hand placed firmly of Emily's shoulder, I surveyed the room, and its weak points should our enemies launch a second attack I wanted to be prepared. Daud's assassins were one by one disappearing into the shadows.

I turned to face Daud, I hated to admit it, but I was completely lost for an explanation. I looked at him, his face hadn't changed since our duel in The Flooded District. His eyes were still firm, as was his voice.

"Can you shed any light on this?" I asked, keeping my voice firm. He merely shrugged and replied

"Perhaps he will be willing to tell us" I followed his gaze to a man, dressed differently to his comrades. This man wore a thick armoured black overcoat, his allies had been wearing mere black robes. His face unlike the others was not covered. However his face was far from normal. His eyes were empty sockets, dark shadows swirling within. Even more odd was the mark of The Outsider, tattooed to the side of his face.

Daud and I began a slow approach up the stairs to where he stood waiting. I was ready to draw my weapon when Daud placed his hand in front of my chest, bringing me to a halt. He simply breathed the words

"Wait, and see" No sooner had his assassins appeared on both sides of the new enemy. However in a quick succession of magic, he stopped time itself, the only people immune to his power being Daud and I. Before we had time to react our enemy had used a spell to propel us backwards with a large torrent of wind. He then drew a blade a black as the pits of his eyes and used it to slice the throat of every assassin surrounding him. After which Daud and I had finally come to our senses only to see our enemy propelling towards us with great speed using magic once more. It had only just occurred to me that using so much magic in such a short time space would exhaust either him or Daud, unless he had of course consumed a spiritual elixir, but I had no memory of seeing him do so.

Our enemy appeared right before us. Daud attacked his left side, whilst I aimed for his head from the right. I was well aware the original plan was to disable, and interrogate the man, but my first duty was to Emily's safety. It didn't matter anyway because with astounding speed he parried both of our blows. He then took advantage of Daud's lack of balance after his attack failed to connect, and slashed at his chest. Daud fell to his knees, and was then kicked in the head and knocked to the ground. The wound wasn't fatal, part of me wished it was, and yet our enemy still managed to parry my attack after he'd finished with Daud, his speed simply wasn't human. He turned to kick me in the chest with incredible speed and strength. It was enough to send me collapsing to the ground. In that instant everything seemed to slow down, and yet speed up in the same moment. Time was returned to its usually schedule. Then out of the corner of my eye I saw all of Daud's assassins begin to fall with me, their throat pulsating blood out of their bodies. Then I saw our enemy move towards Emily using magic to propel himself to her at speeds she didn't have time to comprehend. Then finally I hit the floor.

Barley in conciseness, I watched him scoop Emily up and sprint for the door, I watched as she was leaving my life, again. Then I thought of the first time, Daud had been responsible, I remembered my anguish, my pain, my sorrow, and I refused to let it happen again. By this time he was at the balcony I had been attacked on. I quickly got to my feet. Now they were about jump into the air off of the railing. I used magic to propel myself to them. Time once again seemed to slow down, but not due to magic. I stared into the hollow pits of my enemies eyes. I tried to pry Emily from his grasp as we were moving through the air. No such luck, this man had a grip of iron. So I brought up my blade, and lunged it will my might into his arm that was clutched to Emily. My blade cut through his wrist as if it were paper. I then let go of him and kicked him away with all my might. Then I used magic to propel myself and Emily safely back to the balcony. The rescue had only taken mere seconds, but it seemed like an eternity.

Once on the balcony safely with Emily I looked down, in search of my, now one handed enemy. He was nowhere to be seen. I turned back to see Emily staring wide eyed at me. I simply stroked her hair and looked beyond her into the throne room.

Daud was rising to his feet, behind him were the remains of our battle, and behind that, up the stairs where we had first encountered our magic wielding enemy, was a clock, it signalled midnight and the beginning of a new day. I dropped to my knees exhausted, Emily stood beside me and held my hand. I looked at her and said

"Happy birthday, my dearest girl"


End file.
